Never Regret
by SmileLikeLightning
Summary: "Live your life without regrets," have you heard it? Ever since my sister died, I've been trying to do just that. I met a person who's kind of scary and kind of mean, but I can tell he has a good heart. I think he's trying to do the same thing as me.
1. Beginning as an Exorcist

**Author's Note: Da da da daa! *throws confetti* It's finally out! My new and improved story of my life in D. Gray-Man! This time, starring Lian Aburakoji! As I told you in my A Different Kind of Hate story, I would be making this one! Rika seemed very Mary-Sue-ish and didn't go through enough pain to actually be a real exorcist. I think Kanda should honestly really just hate her XD He would hate her because of her too upbeat attitude.**

**Lian is a real exorcist, she may be a little to happy for an exorcist, but hey, Lenalee was chained to a bed and beaten so she couldn't move when she was only, what? Ten or twelve? Yet she seems ridiculously cheerful. **

**This story is, and will continue to be much better than the previous one! Don't expect updates too soon though; I've got a little writer's block, haha. I though she was just gonna continue on with talking to Kanda and such, but for some reason she met Allen... Writing is a living thing! It grows and develops on its own sometimes! Ha, ha! ^_^ So, without further ado, please enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Arc One: Broken Promises<br>Part 1

I broke a promise.  
>She got hurt.<br>We made a promise.  
>She broke it first.<br>I made a vow  
>on her grave.<br>But a man came and said  
>"That can change,"<br>Would it be wrong  
>if I said okay?<p>

* * *

><p>"I can't."<p>

With an unwavering smile, the goblin-like man said in a voice of concern, "Why not? Don't you love your sister? I'm sure she wants to see you, too."

I gritted my teeth together in a painful smile as I looked up at him. "She hates me," I whispered. My throat seized up with tears. I clenched my teeth harder to prevent from crying. "She… won't… want to… be… with me," I hiccupped, my breathing erratic.

His smile finally faded and his eyes narrowed behind his glasses. "How unfortunate, I'll have to kill you then."

Fear reflected in my eyes as I struggled for a word, a scream, even a thought… "No!"

CLANG!

"What's this?"

A mass of rose-colored cloth formed an X as I swung up my arms, shielding me from his attack.

The goblin-man withdrew and swung open his umbrella. As he flew away, he muttered, "I'll have to revise my plans a bit…"

I fell onto my knees in shock. The cloth fluttered to the ground. Noticing, I lifted up my arm. Watching the fabric swish back and forth like water I thought, "Chinese dance sleeves?"

Years passed. Since then I've learned how to control this strange power. After that one time, the power usually took the form of closed fans, but sometimes (when I was feeling especially energetic) I could recreate the Chinese dance sleeves. That rarely happened though.

Sometimes I'd pass out trying to activate it, and my parents would freak out. They'd scold me and threaten to punish me if I did it again; but I'd still do it.

My parents were actually dance teachers; they taught Chinese and Japanese traditional dances. They kept me busy by teaching me their favorite dances so that I wouldn't go ahead and practice my powers instead.

However, it seemed that almost every dance I learned, my power would be able to take the form of the props used in that dance. Not only that, they had amazing destructive powers when they came into contact with the right thing. I learned that just a month ago when monsters came crashing into my town.

I ended up fighting alongside a person who introduced himself as Froi Tiedoll.

He was an old, curly-haired man with glasses and a grandfather-like personality. He explained everything from the monsters I was fighting (akuma) to the powers that allowed me to do so (innocence.) Finally, he asked me a question that would change my life forever.

"Would you like to be an exorcist?"

With a big smile and my glittering twelve-year-old eyes I replied cheerily, "Uh huh!"

Despite being scouted by General Tiedoll (a European Branch general), I went to train in the Asia Branch of the Black Order for four long years. I had to put up with Fo's constant pranks and Bak-san's stalker-ish habits. I came to know a girl named Lenalee quite well without even meeting her once.

General Tiedoll sent me a letter one day telling me that I'd transfer to the European Branch to start doing some real missions, and that my training in Asia was over.

Sighing, I look over the letter one more time. "Oh gosh… Four years better have been enough," I mutter worriedly.

The gate creaks open just a crack, and a tall boy with long hair appears. He has dark, narrowed eyes, but a handsome face and lean figure. His arms are crossed, and there's sword at his hip.

"Hello…" I say hesitantly, "I'm—"

"The new exorcist," he finishes for me. The teenage swordsman turns while giving me a lingering glance then he jerks his head, beckoning me to enter the black castle.

I nod and follow him in.

He guides me through the winding hallways without a word, not that I mind that but…

"So awkward," I think, "He could have at least told me his name…" I sigh as quietly as possible so that I think he can't hear.

Suddenly he stops and faces me. He towers above me by five inches, glowering down. "Let me tell you something; I'm not particularly fond of new exorcists. Usually, I would not be doing this."

Taken aback by his sharp words, I return his glare with my own. Placing my arms on my hips, I growl, "Then why are you doing this anyway? If you have other affairs, what's stopping you?"

Seemingly at a loss for words, he draws back and scoffs, "Che."

I roll my eyes but continue to trail behind him.

He leads me to an elevator in what seems to be the center of the building and takes me up a few floors. Once he stops, he nods his head in a general direction and says, "Your room is in that hallway, the third one on the right. The cafeteria is up a floor. Don't wake up late."

As soon as I stop off the elevator, he restarts it so quickly that I nearly fall off the edge. I quickly catch my balance and back up three feet. I growl deep in my throat thinking, "So annoying! I hate your type!" I turn around with a huff and find my room.

The next day, I wake up unnaturally early. Unable to go to sleep, I get up and decide to practice a bit. I recall passing a large empty room, so I decide to go there.

I pull my hair back into a low-ponytail and grab my fans. I feel a little jittery as I go down to the training room; the building is crazy eerie when the sun's not up. I finally reach the place and quickly step inside.

The room is dimly lit by the dawn light streaming through the windows. The support beams are painted red and the floor is regular maple wood. I can tell its a little Asian-themed.

I breathe slowly as I sharpen my mind, remembering my favorite dance. I slam the ends of the fans together and shout, "Innocence Activate; Traditional Dance!" I pull my leg back into a long stance and hold both fans at my left hip, "Shirabyoshi!"

The closed fans connect and form a scabbard, containing a decorative-looking katana. The hilt of the sword is colored rose and gilded.

As I slide out the sword, I bring my leg in, beginning a dance my parents taught me. The movements I remember flow out of my body like water. The slow and steady steps remind me of a heartbeat. This is my favorite dance; it makes me feel beautiful yet powerful.

**Shirabyōshi** were female dancers, prominent in the Japanese Imperial Court, who performed traditional Japanese dances (the dances themselves also called shirabyōshi) dressed as men. They would perform for nobles and high-ranking samurai, and at celebrations.

I smile a bit to myself at one curve in the dance, feeling ecstasy in the steps.

.:Kanda's POV:.

I intended to go down to the training room to practice my sword skills, but for some reason I find myself peering at the new exorcist from the doorway, who's wielding a katana with much more grace than I'd ever expected a swordsman to hold.

She smiles to herself, eyes lowered and sparkling from under her lashes. She really seems to enjoy what she's doing.

"Che," I mutter, "Dancing won't help you fight." I quietly remove myself from the doorway and go outside to work out instead.

As I unsheathe my own sword, I can't help but remember how differently she used a sword apart from me. Gritting my teeth, I remind myself, "A sword is for cutting down; not for decorative beauty," and make a gash in the tree.


	2. Fighting for My Friends

Arc One: Broken Promises

Part 2

.:My POV:.

When I return to my room, I find a familiar face standing in front of my door.

I stop in my tracks for a moment to realize who she is. "Black pigtails, fair skin, skinny build, tall boots… That's—!"

She turns and notices me looking at her. Suddenly her face breaks into a smile and she jogs over to me. She extends her hand in a friendly gesture and says brightly, "Hello, I'm Lenalee Lee! You must be Lian Aburakoji. It's very nice to meet you."

I shake her hand, not taking my eyes off her. "Nice to meet you," I drawl, distracted by my own thoughts. "I can see why Bak-san likes this girl…"

There's a clear, plastic package nested in the crook of Lenalee's arm. She notices that my gaze has drifted to it and holds it out to me. "This is your new uniform," she explains, "You don't have to go through the usual innocence check and whatnot because you've already trained in the Asia Branch. We got your information and made an outfit accordingly."

I take the package and examine the outfit. "Thank you! It's a very nice uniform," I say gratefully.

She returns the smile and replies, "You're very welcome! Oh, and Lian-san…"

"Yes?"

"After you eat breakfast, please find me and I'll take you down to meet my brother, Komui. He's the Branch Chief."

"Alright, thank you again for everything, Lenalee!" I say, clutching the new uniform to my chest happily.

"No problem," she says with a wave.

I go into my room and pull the clothes out of the package. I place the skirt neatly on the bed and examine the top layer.

The uniform is black with silver trimmings and a silver crest on the right breast. The sleeves are short and the jacket has a mandarin collar. I put on a white, long-sleeved shirt underneath the top and white stockings underneath the black pleated skirt.

Finally, I tie my hair up as I walk down to the cafeteria.

"B set ready!" someone shouts.

My attention is drawn to a window where I can hear the sizzle and stirring of meals. I take the place of the person who just ordered and lean in the window curiously.

Suddenly, a dark-skinned man with sunglasses, dreadlocks, and a frying pan in hand is in my face, smiling. "Next! What do you want?" He realizes that I am not a familiar face, and before I can think of a reply and he says, "Oh, you must be the new exorcist!"

I chuckle good-naturedly and introduce myself, "I just transferred from the Asia Branch yesterday. My name's Lian Aburakoji, it's nice to meet you."

"I'm Jerry, nice to meet you, too!" he replies. Banging the spatula on the pan, he asks, "What would you like to eat, Lian-chan? I can make anything you want."

"Hmm… Could I have white rice, miso soup and barley tea?" I think out loud. "About this size," I add, forming a circle with my hands about four inches in diameter.

"Even the tea cup?" he teases.

"Uh, oh, I didn't mean… You know just… a regular cup," I stutter bashfully.

We both have a good laugh, and I take my tray and look around to find a seat. Walking around, I think, "Wow. There's a lot of men here… hardly any girls." I spot Kanda sitting alone at a table near the exit of the cafeteria and I can't help but wonder, "Why does no one sit with him?"

I feel someone tap me on the shoulder and turn around in response.

A person wearing an ecru-colored jacket smiles kindly at me. He has short, brown hair that's spiked up a little bit. His eyes are hazel-colored and he looks very young; in his twenties about. "You must be the new exorcist, right? I'm a Finder, my name's Elias Lorenzc," he introduces, extending his arm.

"It's nice to meet you, I'm Lian Aburakoji," I reply, shaking his hand. "It seems that finders and exorcists don't seem to mix though," I add, nodding at the teenage samurai.

"Ah, him? He doesn't get along with anyone really," whispers Elias, "the last exorcist that joined us became rivals with him right away."

"Oh, really?" I whisper back, eyeing the lonely exorcist.

Sucking air into his teeth, Elias mutters, "Yeah…" He faces me once again and changes the subject, "So, anyway, Lian-san, would you like to eat with me and some other finders?"

I tilt my head to the side and say, "I guess so."

Elias introduced me to all of his friends, and we became friends very quickly. I learned all their names even; Seth, John, Lance, Tyrone, Michael and the only female finder I've seen: Alona Ventura.

"So, Lian, you're not completely new to the exorcist business, right?" asks Lance.

Lance Collier is a mid-twenty year old man with a medium build and dirty-blonde hair. He's about six feet tall and his eyes are dark brown. He is sort of the loud-and-proud type of guy, but he is respectful and kind.

I nod while taking a sip of my tea. After swallowing, I put the cup down and reply, "General Tiedoll recruited me and sent me to the Asia Branch to train. Then he sent me a letter telling me to go to the European Branch to start doing real missions."

"That's strange isn't it?" Alona pipes up, "You can do missions at the Asia Branch, too."

Alona is a cheery kind of girl who loves her meat (her plate was piled high with meat dishes… for breakfast.)She has deep blue eyes and thin chestnut-brown hair that clings to her neck, and she is just an inch or two shorter than me.

I shrug. "I don't know why I didn't do missions in Asia. It may have something to do with General Tiedoll, specifically." I take another large spoonful of soup and rice; I haven't even finished because people have been talking to me so often.

"Aah, that doesn't really matter does it? Lian-san is with us now and that's that," Seth yawns.

"Yup, she's our Lian-chan now!" Alona chirps.

"Our Lian-san," Lance seconds.

"Guys… you shouldn't manipulate her name like that," Michael mumbles.

Seth and Michael are best friends. They're so close they could even be brothers. Seth has reddish-brown hair and Michael has dark-brown hair. Both of them keep their hair at jaw line-length and they're both about the same height. Michael is much more soft-spoken than Seth, and Seth seems like one of those acts-like-he's-lazy-but-really-hard-working types.

Sweat prickles my forehead. Laughing half-heartedly I reassure Michael, "It's alright… I get that all the time. Especially with Japanese honorifics…"

"Oh, you're not Japanese, Lian-dono?" John inquires with a quizzical look on his face.

John is a large dark-skinned man in his early-thirties. He's about six feet five inches and very muscular. He's got a kind disposition though.

Finally, I've finished my meal. Wiping my mouth I answer, "Well, I'm half-Japanese and half-Chinese. My dad is Japanese and my mom is Chinese; but I lived in china most of my life so I'm used to Chinese honorifics."

"Oh, oh! What's the Chinese honorific like '-san?'" asks Alona excitedly.

I look up at the ceiling in thought. "It's a little weird to pronounce… you might not really get it."

"It's alright, Lian-san, just tell us," Elias says with a grin."

I laugh lightly and nod. "Okay. In China I would be called Xiaojie. It refers to unmarried women. It's kind of like '-san' but in Chinese we have separate honorifics for women and men. More than '-chan' and '-kun' in Japanese."

"Jaojee-eh?" Alona sounds out slowly, looking at me to see if she has it right.

"That's wrong, Alona!" Lance snaps, "It was more like 'Shao-jie,' right, Lian-san?"

"You are both incorrect," interjects John, "It was more like 'Shiow schee-ye.'"

They continue to bicker and quibble for some time until everyone hears a loud "SLAM!"

I turn around to see the samurai glowering at our entire table, obviously ticked off.

He strides over to us angrily and barks, "Shut the fuck up! You Finders barely do anything, and you think you have the time to be goofing off like this? Go do something worthwhile!"

John looks like he's about to strangle the exorcist, as do Lance and Alona. Seth is glowering at him and even Michael looks mad.

Elias looks the most hurt and full of rage. He's emitting an aura of malice that could be felt for miles. Sizing up to the Japanese exorcist he growls, "Don't use that superior tone when talking to us. We work just as hard as any of you exorcists do."

I feel a sharp jab in my chest when I hear him say "exorcists." He says it like it's some sort of disease like tuberculosis or rabies.

The exorcist snubs him, but I stand up before he can say anything.

Elias suddenly feels bad, I can see, because he immediately apologizes, "Lian-san, I didn't mean exorcists as in you—"

"Be quiet Elias," I command. I push him aside and glare right up at the irritable teenager. I grab his collar and pull him down so he can look me straight in the face. "If you want a fight; I'm right here. Don't bitch to my friends about something I started."

The whole cafeteria is quiet.

"Che," he mutters, knocking my hand off. "You're annoying."

"Don't talk to Lian-san that way!" Alona snarls.

"Alona!" I say warningly. I place my hands on my hips and say pretentiously, "I don't even know your name. Why don't you tell me?"

"You don't need to know," he says after a short pause.

I spot the same sword at his hip as I did the first time I met him. "That must be his innocence," I think. I pull out the fans from the garters on my stockings. Slamming the ends together I say, "Innocence Activate, Second Dance: Shirabyoshi!" The rose-colored katana appears in my hands and I swing it at him rapidly.

With equivalent speed, he unsheathes his own sword and blocks me. "Who's the one looking for a fight?"

I smirk and press my blade harder against his. "I'll fight you for your name, you little samurai. If I win you also have to stop annoying the Finders, how about it?"

He gives me an irritated grin and grunts, "You really are an annoying woman. Alright then; I accept."

Our swords spark and we slide back ever so slightly. Sheathing our swords, we don't break eye contact.

"Tonight at five in the training room then?" I suggest.

"Don't chicken out." He walks away first, taking his meal with him. He drops it off in the dish drop off as he leaves the room.

"…Lian-san," Elias says with a tone of concern, "I'm grateful that you stood up for us, but that person is…"

I smile at him, looking more confident than I actually feel. "I know, Elias. I could feel his power from the moment we crossed swords." My innocence reverts back to their original fan state and I put them back in their garters.


	3. Realizations and New Friendship

Arc One: Broken Promises

Part 3

.:My POV:.

Lenalee walks in with a confused look on her face. "What is everyone doing standing up?" She questions, hugging a black notebook to her chest. She walks over to the area I'm at; since I'm kind of in the middle of a circle. "Lian-san, what's wrong?"

I sigh and blow my bangs out of my face. "I… got into a little fight with that tall Japanese kid. We're gonna officially compete at five o' clock later," I explain hesitantly. I expect Lenalee to be angry and even concerned; but her reaction is completely different.

She lets out a groan and smacks her forehead. "You're joking. That guy never gets along with anyone, does he?" Lenalee gives me a pouty sort of look and scolds, "You shouldn't have provoked him! Geez…"

I shake off my surprised look and apologize, "Sorry, Lenalee-san… I'm not going to back out of the fight, though."

Lenalee gives me a wry smile and says, "I can already tell that… Well, let's go see my brother, then." She beckons me with a twist of her head and I trail after her.

We walk in the hallway silently for a few moments until I break the silence.

"What day is it today?" I ask.

She puts a finger to her lips and thinks. "I'm pretty sure it's September, 26th," she finally replies.

I freeze up in the middle of the hallway. Anxiety reflects in my eyes as Lenalee turns to face me.

"Is something wrong, Lian-san? You look all shaken up."

"What day did you say it was?" I ask, having trouble controlling my voice.

She raises an eyebrow and replies hesitantly, "I said it was September, 26th. Are you really alright, Lian-san?"

I glare at the floor, mad at myself for forgetting something so important! I bite my thumb and mumble to myself, deep in thought, "Dammit… I lost track of time," I look back at Lenalee and snap, "Tell me what time it is, please!"

She complies, however she's still suspicious of my twitchy antics. "It's 11:46."

I'm enraged at myself, and I'm mad at the Japanese boy for making me forget something so important. "I'm sorry, Lenalee-san, I'll meet your brother tomorrow!" Before she can reply, I dash off to the training room.

"He has to be there. He should be there. If he's not there I'm going to be so mad!" the thoughts rush through my head as I speed down the hallways.

I throw the door to the training room open and find him right there. Right where I hoped. Breathless and shaken, I stomp over to him and grab his collar. "Fight me now," I order, "I don't have time for you later."

He grits his teeth and pulls away from me. "What are you doing? Why are you so impatient?" he growls, irritated.

"I didn't ask you for a question! I said fight me now!" I shout violently, throwing a swing at him. "Third Dance: Shibu!" I cry, activating my innocence.

**Shibu** (詩舞) is also called _senbu_ (扇舞), or fan dancing. It is also performed in hakama and kimono, though in some cases hakama may be rejected in favor of longer kimono. Some performances also involve steeply-pointed straw hats which conceal the performers' faces.

The plain wooden fan lengthens three inches and blooms with red color. Golden veins draw themselves on the red metal and blossom into small peony flowers.

My swing speeds up, and he just barely dodges it.

Sensing another blow, he pulls out his sword and our weapons clash.

I pull out the other fan and jab it at his stomach.

He knocks my hand away and slices at me with his sword.

The weight of his blow is almost too much to bear; but I manage to keep my hand from being crushed against the floor.

I pull out the other fan and unfurl both of them. "Fourth Dance: Buchaechum!"

**Buchaechum **(Buh-cheh-chuhm) is a traditional form of Korean dance, usually performed by groups of female dancers. Many Koreans use this dance during many celebrations. They use fans painted with pink peony blossoms and display a show of dance. In the dance being performed, the dancers represent images using the fans e.g. flowers, butterflies and waves. They wear hanbok, the Korean traditional dress in bright colors.

I leap towards him and cut across with the metal fans, but he blocks me again. I clench my teeth in frustration and slide back. I examine him while catching my own breath. "That's… not possible… he's not even sweating!" I think bitterly.

.:Kanda's POV:.

"She's already out of breath. She may be new but she should at least be able to sense my power. She should at least consider the difference in strength between a regular man and woman." I look at her eyes, which are burning with rage. "Why is she so pissed at me? No person would be this mad just because I yelled at a couple of people. She's completely lost all composure."

She's breathing heavily, but it seems more like she's seething with rage. Her eyes are fierce, but not as if she was trying to kill.

I narrow my eyes and examine her facial features further. "…Why is she looking at me like that? She's looking at me like I'm in her way."

She lifts the fans up high in the air and slashes them down, roaring, "NABI!"

Sharp blasts of wind fly towards me, cutting at least half a centimeter into my skin. Only my arms get cut up since I use them to block the attack; but when I catch sight of her again, her leg is flying towards my head.

I block her with my arm and push her down to the ground with my other. I slide my sword up against her neck and try as hard as I can not to sigh in relief. "It's over," I announce low in my throat.

Her eyes don't have that frustrated glare in them anymore; but now she looks like a deer in the headlights.

Her innocence deactivates and her grip loosens on the fans.

I notice cuts on her palms and blood stains the pale wood of her innocence's normal state.

I get up off of her and sheath my sword, turning my back on her. I glance at her from the corner of my eye since she's exceedingly quiet.

She's looking at her palms regretfully, and her weapons are put away. Her hair is a mess, but she doesn't bother to fix it since her hands are messed up.

"Why did you do that?" I ask.

She's got a curious look on her face, and then she laughs pityingly to herself. "I… I don't know…" she says ironically. She carefully brushes some of the hair out of her face. She looks up at me suddenly and asks, "Do you… Is there anyone special to you?"

A picture immediately comes to mind, but I dismiss it. I cross my arms and scoff instead.

She laughs lightly, (which I did not expect), and continues. "I had someone… really special to me. I loved that person a lot; but I slipped up one time, just once… and now she's gone." She takes a deep breath and bites her lip. "Today represents the consequence of my carelessness…"

Our eyes meet.

I have never seen such sadness; such vulnerability shown clearly on a face that still holds back tears.

"Today is the anniversary… of my sister's death."

.:My POV:.

"Why am I telling a stranger all of this? Someone whose name I don't even know? But… I do owe him an apology; and this is the only way I can explain it." I look up at him, my eyes prickling with that feeling of tears. "Today is the anniversary… of my sister's death."

He has a dumbfounded look on his face, which makes me wonder what words made him so surprised. Surely this hasn't been the first time he heard something like this; someone keeping the anniversary of someone's death.

I look down, and a single tear falls from my eye. I rub the water away and take a deep, shuddering breath. "She died exactly at five o'clock… So I think I saw you as an obstacle keeping me from my sister," I laugh at how pathetic I sound, "I was offered to have her back and I refused at that time. Yet now I'm ready to cut anything down that keeps her from me. I'm really a stupid girl."

"You are a stupid girl," he says almost instantly.

I jerk my face towards him, a little hurt that he agreed with me.

He's glaring in such a way that seems… simply ticked off. "You are stupid. You lost all reason because you realized you double booked something? You really are an annoying woman." He looks away and glares at the wall, "An exorcist needs control their emotions, annoying, stupid girl."

The tears are dried from my eyes and a grateful smile spreads on my face. "Thank you," I say. The cuts on my hands have stopped bleeding, so I carefully undo my ponytail.

He walks to the door and slides it open. He pauses and says something.

"What?" I question, not hearing him the first time.

"Kanda," he repeats, "My name is Kanda."

I have a stupid look on my face for a few seconds, and then I realize that he's being kind to me. I nod my head and smile brilliantly, "Kanda. Thank you so much, Kanda."

He looks extremely grumpy then slams the door closed.

I wince. Once he's gone I think out loud to myself, "I wonder if I made him mad by calling his name twice."


	4. Capture The Broker Part 1

Arc One: Broken Promises

Part 4

.:My POV:.

The next day, I get up early again to practice dancing. I tie my hair back and put on a black tank top and baggy Chinese pants. I grab my fans and hurry down to the training room quietly, so I don't disturb anyone.

As I shuffle through the hallways, I suddenly hear a crash from one of the rooms. I back up, using the groaning noise as guidance.

"Hey? Whoever is in there, you're not hurt are you?" I ask through the door, tapping my knuckles against it.

"Yes, I'm alright!" says a surprised, polite voice, "Wait a second, I'll be right out!"

I hear the rustling of clothing and the creak of a bead then the door clicks open.

A snowy-haired boy with silver eyes opens the door. He has a red star above his left eye. A line trails down across his face down his cheek, too. His white dress shirt is messy and the buttons are put through the wrong holes. "Good morning…" He mumbles awkwardly.

"O-oh, good morning. Um, I was worried because I heard a loud crash… you're really alright?" I ask.

He stands up straight and rubs the back of his head bashfully. "Don't worry, I'm alright. I was just doing some arm exercises," he explains.

I lean my head in his room and look around. It's just as big, or just as small, rather, as my room, but definitely too small to do any exercise in. I raise an eyebrow at him, then cross my arms disapprovingly. "I don't think it's particularly safe to work out in your room. Why don't you spar with me downstairs in the training room?" I suggest.

He laughs and nods his head, "Okay, that sounds better, ha, ha. Just wait one second please." He turns around and closes his room door to get dressed.

As we walk through the quiet, grey-stone hallways, we chat a little bit to get to know each other. "What's your name again? I don't think I asked before," I say, halfway through our conversation.

"I'm Allen, Allen Walker," he says with a smile, "It's nice to meet you."

I shake his hand and return the favor, "I'm Lian Aburakoji. It's nice to meet you, too, Allen-san."

"By the way," he continues, "I've never seen you around before. Are you new to the Order?"

I shake my head and answer, "I've been familiar with the Black Order for a while now. I just transferred here recently to do more missions."

"So that's it…" he mumbles. Allen turns to me with a bemused smile. "I guess you're technically _my _senpai, then," he laughs, "I joined about a month ago."

"Oh really?" I say with interest, "Have you gone on any missions?"

Allen seems surprised by this question, and suddenly he looks a little depressed. He pauses a while before answering me. "Yeah," he sighs.

I feel heaviness in my heart just looking at him. "…Did I say something I shouldn't have?" I ask hesitantly.

He snaps out of it and smiles reassuringly. "It's alright. My first mission was just a little… emotional."

"Ah, is that all?" I sigh, half-relieved. I can tell by the tone of his voice that what he said wasn't really all there was to it.

Suddenly, I catch sight of the training room door. "We're here," I announce with a brighter tone, changing the subject. I open the door and step inside, but I stop in my tracks once I see Kanda already swinging his sword around.

"Morning, Kanda…" I greet hesitantly. I didn't have the time to reflect on how to act around him yet, or more like I just didn't think about how our relationship should be right now.

He looks over and suddenly scowls.

I flinch at his cold look and wonder, "Di-did I do something wrong?"

"What are you doing here, beansprout?" He growls.

"Beansprout?" I repeat with a puzzled tone.

Allen steps in front of me and glares at Kanda. "I've told you, my name is Allen," he snaps, "And I'm here to train with Aburakoji-san."

Kanda raises an eyebrow at me then turns away. "Che, whatever," he scoffs. With that, he continues practicing without another word.

I cough awkwardly, interrupting the intense mood between the two. "Shall we begin, Allen-san?"

"O-oh, yea! Sorry about that," he says, bowing slightly in apology.

I laugh kindly, "Don't worry about it." I cross my arms and press the top of my hand against my mouth; a habit I have when thinking. "So, I think we should… free spar for a bit. Then I can see how you move and maybe we could point out each other's flaws."

There's a different air to Allen when it comes to fighting. His eyes look determined, but respectful at the same time. "Sounds good to me!"

"No innocence, no dirty-fighting, and keep in mind," I say, smirking, "Don't go easy on me. Start!"

I throw a kick at his head which he skillfully dodges. I keep turning around and follow with a spin-heel kick at the same target.

Allen claps both his hands together and catches my foot. Grunting, he pushes my leg away and slides behind me, observing my movements.

I draw my leg back and flip over, bringing both my heels down on top of him.

He dodges yet again and goes in for a punch. His fist flies much faster than I'd anticipated, and I just barely block it with one hand. "Fast!" I note in my head. I slide back to catch my breath, but Allen has already jumped over to attack.

I block his arm and push it up then I twist around and flip him over my shoulder. I slam my hand next to his head and raise my fist to punch.

He has this bewildered look on his face, and his innocence has automatically reacted to his being in danger.

I spot out of my peripheral vision, a large, white, clawed hand hovering over my neck, ready to strike. I slowly move off of Allen, realizing that I would have lost, had this been a real battle. Swallowing, I wipe the sweat from my cheek. "Not bad," I state blandly. I help him up with one hand, looking at him apologetically.

"You're not too bad yourself!" Allen says with an astonished expression. He deactivates his innocence and smoothes his hands against his vest. "You move interestingly. I mean, you kind of move like a cat," he notes.

I laugh and curl a lock of hair around my ear. "Oh, really? It might be because I'm a dancer," I say, "Anyway, what is that innocence you have? It's, like, attached to your body?"

"Oh, this?" Allen says, showing her his arm. It's dark red, like cracked blood, and there's a small cross-like inset on the back of his hand. "This is parasitic innocence, you've never seen it?"

I shake my head. "All the exorcists I've met have used equipment-type innocence. Parasitic innocence… It doesn't hurt does it?"

With an amused expression, he explains, "No it doesn't, ha, ha. I'll explain more in the cafeteria; I'm starving."

When I turn around to find my seat, Alona is already flapping her arms in an attempt to catch my attention.

"Hey, Lian-chan!" Alona calls, waving her hand wildly, "Over here! Come sit!"

With my face breaking into a smile, I wave back. "Alright, alright, I'm coming over," I laugh. I place my food down on the table and slide into the seat next to her.

Suddenly leaning in to me, my Finder friends shoot thousands of questions at me.

"Did you win?"

"You got his name, right?"

"He stopped annoying a lot of the Finders."

"How did you beat him?"

"Was it hard?"

"Was it scary?"

"I heard he's merciless towards everyone he faces; how did you fare?"

I feel my forehead bead with sweat as they continue to badger me with questions. I don't see any signs of them stopping, so I quickly interrupt them, "I didn't win."

They all have dumbfounded looks on their faces and are stunned to silence.

Allen walks over with a mountain of food piled on his tray. He notices the awkward silence and blinks confusedly. "Uh, is something wrong?"

"Ah, it's Allen Walker!" notes Lance, looking away from me, "You and Lian are already acquainted?"

Allen nods and rephrases his question, "Yeah, we just met this morning. Also, what happened that everyone is so quiet for?"

Seth jabs a finger in my direction and explains bluntly, "This kid picked a fight with Mr. Grumpy Samurai yesterday. She said that if she won he'd have to tell her his name, and apparently, this girl didn't win."

I point my chopsticks at him and protest, "Well, yeah, but I know his name now. It's a super long story, but even after he beat me… he still told me his name. Kanda, right?"

"Kanda did that?" Allen asks suspiciously, "And for a _new _exorcist?" Suddenly, the aura around him becomes cold, "Heh… so that's how it is…"

"A-allen…?" I say apprehensively, "I-is everything alright?"

With a distant expression and sarcastic tone, he replies, "I'm completely fine…"

Drumming my fingers across my lips, I rack my brain for a new topic. "Um… uh," I stutter, "Oh! Allen, why are you eating so much food?"

He finally snaps out of his funk and looks at his piled-high tray of food. "Oh, this? Well actually, this isn't that much to me," he explains good-naturedly, "You see, because my parasitic type innocence, I expend more of my energy when using my anti-akuma weapon. So, I need to eat more food." Allen sits down and begins to chomp down on his mound of food as he finishes his explanation.

"Huh, Innocence is really interesting…" I mumble, bringing a spoonful of omelet to my mouth. I look at the rest of my table, and they're all looking at me with distaste. As the food slips out of my spoon, I ask nervously, "You guys… did I do something wrong?"

Alona nearly tackles me off my seat throwing her arms around me. "Ah you irritating little exorcist child!" Alona fake-sobbed in pity, "You don't understand, huh?" She leans back on her knees and put a smug look on her face. "Aw, kids are so innocent."

"Alona-chan I really don't think that it's what you're thinking," Elias interrupts, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Michel leans forward and nods in agreement. "Yeah, there aren't many female exorcists besides Lenalee and Lian; he might just be like that."

"Still, he didn't let her win," interjects Tyrone, "He just told her his name."

"Tyrone!" Elias, Alona, Seth, Michel, and John gasp.

Grinning, he pushes up the brim of his cap hood. "I seem to have come back early from my mission," he chuckles.

John pats his shoulder and they secure hands in a tight handshake. "Man, you got back early! One day and you're done? Geez!"

Alona stands up and punches him lightly in the arm. "Hey cowboy! Back already? I was looking forward to stealing the group from you," she giggles.

He smirks as he looks down on her. "You're far too young and far too female to get my group, Alona!"

She gives him a toothy, yet pissed off grin and gets him good in the stomach. "Still cracking women jokes, huh?"

He grunts in discomfort and hunches over, clutching his abdomen. "F— Dammit, Alona. You still can't take a joke?"

"Hmpf," is her only reply.

Tyrone is a broad-shouldered, tan-skinned, brown-eyed bona fide cowboy. He used to work on a ranch with his parents and seven younger siblings, but under certain circumstances (they wouldn't tell me), he came to the Black Order to be a Finder.

He looks at me and cracks a grin. "Hey, Miss Lian, nice seein' you again," he says in that southern drawl of his, "Miss Lenalee wanted to see you after you finished eating. It's about your first mission."

I look up at him, surprised, "How do you know it's a mission for me?"

Tyrone tones down his bright smile and says mysteriously, "Innocence is located by Finders, right?"

I slowly understand what he means, and when I do I give him a big, sparkling smile. "Thanks so much, Tyrone!" I gasp cheerily, "You're golden!" I quickly vacuum up the rest of my rice and eggs and run out of the cafeteria.

I find Lenalee waiting right next to the archway, holding a black folder to her chest. She flashes that friendly smile and greets me, "Good Afternoon, Lian-san! I see that Tyrone told you about the mission." She turns around and waves the folder at me. "Let's go then!"

Lenalee and I maneuver through the building, down hallways and stairs, chatting aimlessly. She points out several things and people that Kanda hadn't previously. Lenalee guides me through the giant tower, and as we near our destination, she gets a little quiet.

I notice her voice trail off. "Is something wrong, Lenalee?" I ask concernedly.

"Oh, nothing's wrong!" she said quickly, "I'm a little concerned about _you_, actually."

Raising an eyebrow, I gesture at myself. "Why be worried about me? Nothing's wrong."

She laughs tensely, "Well, let's just say your mission might be a little rocky…" Lenalee hands me the folder and opens a door for me.

I spot a man sitting at a plain wooden desk, piled high with paper and tagged books. There's a large, yellowed map behind him, and there are dozens of books stacked on shelves.

The man himself has medium-length black hair and a thin face. He has rectangular framed glasses resting on his nose and he's wearing an all-white suit, just like Bak-san at the Asia Branch.

"Welcome, Lian-kun. My name is Komui Lee, I'm the Branch Chief," he explains, "Please have a seat. You'll be partnered up with Kanda for this mission. I believe you've already met each other." He gestures towards the red upholstery couch.

I'm a little caught off-guard when I hear that Kanda's my partner, but if that's what Lenalee was saying would discomfort me, it's not that big of a deal. I nod at Kanda and greet, "Hello again."

Kanda merely grunts in response. His arms are crossed, along with his legs. He looks a little impatient; as if he's been waiting forever to get going.

I sit next to him on the couch softly. "It's nice to meet you, Komui-san," I say with a polite smile, "So, what is this mission we'll be going on?" I discreetly catch Lenalee's eye, trying to confirm if this was all it was.

She shakes her head and looks at me pityingly, like the worst is yet to come.

"Aren't you eager?" chuckles Komui. He stands up from his desk and points at my folder before folding his hands behind his back. "If you'll follow along with your folder, you'll see that this mission takes place in Luxembourg. We've found out that there's a Broker there named Matthias Donald."

Placing a hand on the desk, Lenalee adds, "A Broker is a person who has made a deal with the Millennium Earl. They provide sorrowful people to be turned into Akuma, and the Broker gets a large sum of money for it."

"That's correct," continues Komui, "Mr. Donald has gotten very rich in the last month, and a lot of aristocrats have been disappearing. We believe that he has connections with them, takes advantage of their sorrow, and hands them over to the Millennium Earl."

"How terrible," I mutter.

Komui paces and turns his head towards me. "He will be hosting a ball in a few days, and he's invited a large amount of people. Some of which have recently lost someone close to them, be it a husband or child. Your jobs will be to attend the party and prevent any akuma to be created. It will also be to capture Mr. Donald and try to get information on the Millennium Earl."

I read over the page that corresponds in the folder and nod. I say, "Understood," and close the folder.

"You two will obviously have to be undercover, since he'll probably flee the moment he notices you two exorcists…" Komui says, his eyes suddenly gleaming behind his silver-rimmed glasses. He strides over to a red curtain. "Therefore you two will pose as Mr. and Mrs. Nomia! Two aristocrats visiting from Japan!" he announces, speaking faster and faster, "Mrs. Nomia will pretend she's just had a miscarriage and her baby died right after she gave birth, so Mr. Donald will go after her! Of course you two will need glamorous outfits for the occasion therefore voila!" Komui tears down the curtain in the heat of excitement!

Two splendiferous formal outfits appear as the curtain is removed. They're sparkling (literally SPARKLING. It looks like a freakin' unicorn threw up on the clothes) so brightly that it hurts my eyes. I've never seen gaudier outfits.

On the right, there's a brilliant white, overly-tasseled, tailed tuxedo. There's a matching top hat placed on the mannequin's head, which has something like a bouquet of white roses on its brim. There's even a matching cane.

I feel like I'm going to puke just looking at it. I glance at Kanda, and his face is utterly disgusted as well. He puts a hand to his mouth and looks away. He glares back at Komui, his killing intent leaking everywhere.

On the left… holy shit no.

There's a bright red… is that legally a dress? There's a bright, glimmering red… THING with a V-neck slit down to… down to the belly button? There's a golden chain holding the bust area together, and thank God the skirt is long, but it trails all across the floor! There's also long slits on the sides, too, from the arm holes to the thigh area, also held together by golden threads. There's also a terrible feather boa accessory. It doesn't match the dress at all with its sakura-pink delicateness.

With an excited glint in his eye, Komui claps his hands together. "Isn't my fashion sense suberb?" he asked rhetorically, "You guys will fit right in with the rich people!"

For a split second I imagine myself wearing _that_, next to Kanda wearing _that_, and I feel the irritation flowing to my brain. The fact that he wants me to wear that… that _THING _isn't the only reason I'm annoyed; also that he thinks he has… even GOOD fashion sense is the thing that sets me off.

"LIKE HELL I'M WEARING THAT!" we yell, rage written all over our face.

Kanda whips out his sword and I grab Komui by the collar. Shaking him silly I shriek, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING? THAT THING IS COMPLETELY INDECENT AND AREN'T WE JAPANESE? WHY THE FUCK ARE WE WEARING WESTERN… I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT KIND OF CLOTHING THAT IS!"

Kanda's voice is more subtly murderous. Staring Komui down in the eye, he snarls, "Komui… are you making a fucking fool out of me? You're not stupid enough to think I'd actually wear that, are you?"

Komui is sweating bullets and has his hands up in defense. "N-now, now guys, it's already bought and here so why don't you just—"

"Ah," I say monotonously, releasing him, "Is that it? That it's here?"

Approaching the garments, Kanda glowers at them. "Oh, really? Then I can fix that."

"First Illusion: Netherworld Insects!"

"First Dance: Kenbu!"

As the double swords appear in my hands, I shred the horrendous dress to fibers.

Alongside his insects, Kanda mutilates his end of the threads. Not a movement is wasted; every twitch is aimed at reducing the formal wear to nothing.

Komui's wails were completely ignored until we'd finished our job. He crawls over to the poor shreds and sobs into the pieces of dust. "Aaaah all my hard work!" he moans, watching the chopped up mess flutter through his fingers, "These clothes were all we had to give you for the party! Where are you gonna find them now?" He gurgles high-pitched through his stream of tears.

With cold eyes, Kanda and I have trouble keeping from slicing up Komui as well. Kanda growls at him menacingly, "We could find better clothes at a fucking dollar store!"

"Just watch, we'll come back with better outfits, dammit!" I add on, turning my nose up snobbishly.

We storm out of the room steaming with anger and mutter angrily to ourselves.

"Dammit! I just met him and he has the nerve to piss me off so much!"

"I don't know what kind of shit goes through his head," Kanda murmurs.

We can hear the click of footwear behind us and whip around sharply. "What?" we snap.

Lenalee's shocked face snaps me out of it.

I draw my hands up to my lips instantly and apologize, "Oh I'm sorry…"

"That's alright," Lenalee says empathetically, "_That's _the thing I was worried about anyway. Well, that and Kanda being your partner," she adds with a whisper, "I thought you two were on bad terms."

"Oh, no we're alright," I whisper back to her, "We made up."

"Wow, seriously?" asks Lenalee in disbelief.

I laugh quietly, "Mmhm. I just got a little carried away and apologized first; so I think he just backed off."

"Oi, you two, I'm still here," Kanda growls, crossing his arms, "Getting back to the mission at hand, what are we going to do about the formal stuff for the mission?"

With a wink, Lenalee giggles, "I thought this might happen, so I ordered some more fitting clothing." She turns around, beckoning us with a wave of her hand.

I jog up next to her and walk in silence for a while. At one point, I randomly say, "So that's your brother…"

"Yeah…" she confirms dejectedly, "He's not so bad all the time."

I nod, "Sure."

**Author's Note: AHAHAHA! I enjoyed writing this part a LOT. Man, I'm not gonna lie to you, I honestly felt like puking after describing the clothing. I still feel sick when imagining the clothing =_=; Uurrgh… Though I'd be hilarious watching Kanda wear that. No, still feel sick XD. Well, this is extra long to make up for all the time I've spent not writing. I hope you all enjoy! Review and favorite please! It makes me motivated! Lol**


	5. Capture The Broker Part 2

Arc One: Broken Promises

Part 5

.:My POV:.

Lenalee shoves us into two separate changing rooms and pulls the curtains closed. "You'll find your outfits behind you. If you need help, Lian-san, I'll help you."

"Okay," I call back, turning to look at the outfit.

Hanging on the back wall was a deep blue hōmongi kimono. There's a bright, cerulean blue pattern of flowers that stretches across the shoulders and across the seams down to the bottom of the kimono.

Hōmongi (訪問着): literally translates as visiting wear. Characterized by patterns that flow over the shoulders, seams and sleeves, hōmongi rank slightly higher than their close relative, the tsukesage. Hōmongi may be worn by both married and unmarried women; often friends of the bride will wear hōmongi at weddings (except relatives) and receptions. They may also be worn to formal parties.

"Wow…" I breathed, "How beautiful…" I run my fingers across the cool garment, and tug it off the hanger. I undress and put my clothes neatly to the side, and then I wrap the robe around my body. Lifting the sash with both hands, I smooth it out and begin to wrap it around my waist. I pause for a moment, trying to remember how to tie the sash.

"Lian-san, do you need any help?" asks Lenalee, peering around the curtain.

I jerk my head around at the sound of my name. I smile dismissively and assure her, "No, I've got it. Thanks for offering."

.:Kanda's POV:.

"How long does it take to put on a dress?" I thought agitatedly, "I'm sick of wearing these formal clothes." I glance at myself in the mirror and scowl. Granted, these clothes are much better than the ones Komui layed out for us previously. However, I still don't enjoy wearing this sort of thing.

Apparently, the party is white-tie formal. Therefore, unfortunately, I have to wear an evening tailcoat with a plain stiff-fronted cotton shirt and a black low-cut waistcoat. On top of that, I need to wear a white bowtie and black court shoes.

I stuck a finger between my neck and the collar, tugging at it. "Absolutely none of this is appropriate for fighting," I grumble. Shoving a hand into my pocket, I throw the curtain to the side.

Lenalee's eyes grow wide once she notices me. "Wow, Kanda! You look really good in that!" she complements, touching a finger to her lip.

"Che," I snort, frowning, "This is stupid."

"Don't say that," she objects. Standing up, she steps forward looking me up and down. "As a girl, I think you look nice."

I raise an eyebrow at her, not sure how to take that comment. I'm a little flattered, but I don't want to get the wrong idea.

She gives me her standard smile and tilt of the head, then hastily turns her attention to Lian's dressing room. "Lian-san, are you ready now?" she calls.

I let my eyes linger on Lenalee for a moment. "…It's probably nothing. Just Lenalee being herself…" I conclude. Walking around behind the girl, I reach a hand out impatiently. "Just hurry up already, you're wasting precious time." I grab the curtain and toss it to the side.

.:My POV:.

I examine myself in the mirror, turning left and right, trying to look at my profile. I smooth my hair back and twist it up in a makeshift bun to see if it looks good. When I hear the curtain slide open, I gasp in surprise and let go of my hair. My cheeks heat softly as I glare at Kanda. "Wh-what are you doing?" I snap. Just before I add, "I could have been half-naked!" I stop myself, considering how embarrassing that would sound.

Lenalee pushes him back gently and gives him a disapproving stare. Then, she gives me a bright smile and compliments me. "That kimono is perfect for you! It's great that it fits," she notes with a smile, "you can do your hair when the time comes. Right now, you two should change into your uniforms and get ready for Luxembourg!"

**A few hours later…**

I stroke my lips out of habit with the back of my hand as I press my forehead on the cold window glass. My eyes focus on nothing as I reflect on the mission. "We're to infiltrate a party disguised as a married couple from Japan… I, Mrs. Nomia, just had a miscarriage, so I am depressed… My goal is to get Mr. Donald to lead me away to make a 'deal,' and then we hold him hostage for information." I close my eyes and breathe in through my nose. "It's always perfect when you think about it. I doubt anything could go this swimmingly."

The only things that can be heard in our first-class compartment are the muffled sound of the train on the tracks, and the minute buzzing of electricity, coming from the lights. Our first-class compartment is a first-class awkward moment. Even Michael, our Finder, who is sitting outside, is slightly discomforted by the silence. The politely quiet shifting of cloth gives that away.

I glance at Kanda sitting across from me.

He looks so uptight. Both his legs and arms are crossed as if to say "let's just get this over with." His perpetual scowl doesn't do well for his visage either. It doesn't seem as if he can't relax; his leg would be jiggling if he couldn't.

I pry myself off the wall and stretch out my limbs. I undo my hair and lie down on the plush seat, tucking my legs under my skirt. I keep staring at him, wondering why he looks so exasperated. I squirm around for a while until I find a comfortable position with my head leaning on my arm. I stare at him for a while. "You don't really enjoy this," I remark, "do you?"

His eyes drift down to rest on me as he contemplates my statement. Shifting slightly, he turns his head to the window. "What would I be enjoying?" he inquires, his deep voice lax and monotonous.

"That's not what I mean," I sigh, feeling slightly lethargic from the movement of the train, "This whole exorcist business… It's a job you have and are good at, but you don't like." I scrunch my eyes up as I feel a yawn coming on. Once my vision clears, I swallow nervously at Kanda making direct eye contact with me.

What I asked was meant to be an innocent question; I expected him to snub me and brush it off without an answer. Instead, his eyes are glaring at me intensely, as if he suspects that I intended to figure him out; dig into his past and peel away his composure.

I lower my eyelids to avoid his gaze, and pretend that it's because I'm sleepy. I fidget and slip off my shoes, dropping them onto the ground near my seat. "Whatever, you don't need to answer me," I murmur, "I'm going to sleep." I roll over and face the wall, avoiding his gaze. I shut my eyes tightly, hoping that I can actually rest.

Fifteen minutes pass, and I'm still awake, breathing the hot air trapped between the seat and my face. I try not to move or make any indications that I'm not actually sleeping. Of course as soon as I make that decision I'm caught…

"Hey, you," barks Kanda.

I shuffle in a manner that I pray is sleep-like, continuing with my lie. I don't know exactly what he wants to ask of me, but I'd rather feign sleep then be caught a liar. I almost sigh with relief when I hear him snort, "che" and set down his sword.

The ruffle of clothing tells me that he stood up and is moving in some way, closer to me. The soft clink of metal indicates that he's placed his sword down somewhere.

"You… you're truly annoying," he grumbles in that deep voice of his, "the things you say and ask, they stir up bad memories. I'm always caught off guard with you." He pauses, and I hear another shift of clothing. "You walk in innocence," his voice is so close, I can feel his breath flutter across my ear, "A girl like you… I wonder how long you can survive."

My eyes flash open at that last comment. I grit my teeth and tighten my hands into fists. "What is that supposed to mean?" I think, aggravated, "I was just trying to make conversation, idiot."

There's a soft knock on the door along with Michael's voice. "We're arriving at the next station. Please be prepared in five minutes."

I sit up drowsily and rub my face free of sleep. I run my fingers through my hair and pull out the tangles. I glance over at Kanda, and he catches my eye. I frown at him and jerk my head away. "Che," I mutter with a huff. I silently put my boots back on and stare out the window, watching as we slow down.

When the train stops, I hop up abruptly and throw the door to the side. I look over my shoulder to glower at Kanda for a moment, and then I slam the door right behind me.

Michael looks a little disconcerted, (most likely due to the deadly aura emitting from behind the slammed door) but smiles at me politely. "Sh-shall we go then?"

I give him a big fake smile and nod. "Let's go, shall we?"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Four words. I AM SO SORRY! Please, everyone, forgive me for not updating sooner! I was suuuuuper lazy but now since I have time (because I'm on SPRING BREAK!) I promise I'll be working on the story a little more! So now, please do enjoy this new chapter! Sorry that it's kind of boring, the action will pick up with the next one! *wink*<strong>


	6. Teasers

**Hey guys. I've decided to rewrite ****Never Regret ****since I'm not fond of the way I wrote it. I'm gonna be doing it in 3rd person, since I think I want to try that style now. I'm sorry again for putting this off and I wouldn't be surprised it all of you have already forgot this story. I've just been a little lazy to write since I don't get that many reviews so I kinda felt like no one really cared about my story. I just recently got a review, though, from Hanashi o suru, which kinda revamped me to write I hope you guys haven't forgotten me. I'll give you a few teasers so survive on until I fix the whole thing! Sorry and please don't forget me!**

Teaser #1

.:My POV:.

For the next few days, Kanda and I acted as a "couple." Which was exceedingly difficult, mind you, seeing as neither of us had any experience with romance, dating or love. Well, I assumed that Kanda didn't have any experience because well, his personality wasn't really the boyfriend-type. It was difficult for me because I don't remember ever having a crush or anything. The task was somewhat easy since as aristocrats, we didn't have to be all lovey-dovey. We were expected to be cordial, of course, which was still difficult to manage. I didn't understand why I was so mad, though. I knew that he was frustrated because I was being mean to him.

The fact that Komui had booked us a room with only one bed didn't help either.

.:Kanda's POV:.

I swore that if anything, I would be the one to kill that freak that is called Komui. I could just feel him having too much fun while booking this room for the mission. "God dammit," I cursed, tensing my grip on Mugen, "is he joking?"

The bratty girl I was partnered up with didn't even look my way. She kept a cool, apathetic attitude since her little outburst, which wasn't bad, but every once in a while she slipped in a snippy little comment that pissed me off.

"It's not that big of a deal. I thought that as my _senpai_ you would be professional about this." She said with a shrug, coolly trying to sting me. She brushed past me and lay on the bed, glancing at me sideways. "See, no problem."

Despite boiling on the inside, I scoffed at her little antic. "Whatever." I turned and walked out the door. I didn't have to deal with her; I'd focus on scouting the area if she wanted me to be "professional." I half expected her to ask me what I was doing, but she just let me slam the door and waltz out of the room. "Why is this even remotely bothering me? Che, she'll probably just mess up on her mission and I'll have to fix it. It's always like this with newbies."

* * *

><p>Teaser #2 (In Third Person)<p>

Lian sighed and leaned her head against the cold window panes. Her pride was more beaten up than she was physically; she hadn't expected her first mission to fail so spectacularly. She racked her brain for the things that she could have done, the things that would have ensured their victory. She shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair. "I failed..." she mumbled. Rolling her head back, she scoffed at herself.

Kanda appeared, leaning on the hospital room door frame. "Hey." He called out to her. His hair was let down and he wore a light blue sweater that suited him, surprisingly. His expression was unreadable, but it wasn't as sharp as usual.

Her head snapped up and she smiled weakly. "Oh, hey." She drew her legs up to her chest and lay her chin on her knees. She knew that he could tell that she wasn't happy, and she didn't mind it. For some reason, she felt a little closer to him. She felt like she could be a little more honest with him.

He walked over and stood across from the chair she was sitting in. He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. Kanda paused, he felt like saying something to break the silence between them. Usually he would snap at someone for failing a mission, but he knew the frustration of a mission going badly. He glanced at her face, which was turned towards the window yet again. "She used her skills well against that Noah while trying to keep a hold of the Broker. It's nothing to be ashamed of. I can't yell at her for that." He stared at her for a little while longer, silently admiring her.

Lian caught his eyes, throwing him off guard slightly. She cast her gaze down demurely and mumbled, "I know I screwed up the mission. I can't make any excuses. If you want to say something you don't need to."

He frowned at her, and Lian expected his usual snort. However, he turned his head and looked out the window. "You know," he started, trying to be casual, "You're the only person that I didn't hate going on a mission with."

She looked up at him with wide eyes, and smiled shyly. She nudged him in the leg and laughed, "Geez, don't say things like that. I might fall in love with you for real."


End file.
